Drive mechanism.



H. H. BUFFUM.

DRIVE MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1914.

1 15 027 Patented Oct. 26, 1915.

1 4 Z9 Z5 0 O r Y antler Janie.

DRIVE MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented flct. 2%, 1915.

Application filed June 16, 1914. Serial No. 844,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT H. BUFFUM, a citizen of the United States,and resident of The Weirs, in the county of Belknap and State of NewHampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DriveMechanism, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide improved drivemechanism capable of flexibility, to enable the parts to partake ofrelative angular movement-while in operation.

The invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings is applied toa motor'vehicle, .which furnishes a good example of the conditions to bemet by the flexibility of the drive mechanism. 1

On the drawings :-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the mechanismto which the invention relates. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal sectiontherethrough in the plane indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3represents a horizontal section through the structure intersected byline 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents, somewhat conventionally, thewheels and body-supporting frame of a motor vehicle with the presentdrive mechanism applied thereto for transmitting rotation from the motorto the traction wheels.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever theyoccur.

Referring first to Fig. 4, the body-supporting frame, indicated at 10,is an element of the running frame, which includes the wheels 11 and 12.This representation of a running frame is conventional, no springs beingillustrated for carrying the frame 10; but it is to be assumed that theframe 10 is supported by springs. A motor is indicated at 13, the samebeing mounted upon the frame 10 and having a shaft 14.

My improved drive mechanism is shown as being arranged to transmitrotation from the shaft 14 to the wheels 12. This figure illustratesonly one wheel 12, but it is to be understood that two such wheels maybe mounted upon the axle 15. .As it is customary to secure the motor asrigidly as may be to the frame 10, and as the frame and motor aremovable up and down with relation to the axle 15 in consequence offlexure of the springs which support the frame, a universal joint isusually provided for connecting the motor shaft with the shaft whichtransmits rotation to the drive mechanism. In accordance with this practice I have indicated conventionally at 16 a universal joint connectingthe shaft 14 with the shaft 17. The-shaft 17 has a bearing at 18 in ayoke 19. j A friction disk 20 is affixed to the shaft v1? and impartsrotation to a friction wheel 21. The wheel 21 is splined upon atransmission shaft 22, the ends of which are j ournaled in suitablebearings 23, 23, atthe extremities of the yoke 19. The shaft '17 iscapable of sufficient longitudinal movement to carry the disk 20 to andfrom contact with the wheel 21, and for this purpose a collar 24 andshipper lever 24 are provided. The latter is arranged upon a fulcrumstud 24 and connected by rod 24 with an actuator (not shown). Stud 24 isarranged in a bracket 24 and the latter is clamped upon aslee've 24"which is arranged upon the shaft 17.

Rotation is transmitted from the shaft 22 tothe axle 15'by a worm 25 andgear 26. (See Fig. 3). The worm and gear are inclosed in a casing 2?which is journaled upon the axle 15. Suitable anti-friction bearings areindicated at 28 in Fig. 3. The casing 27 has detachable side plates 29which are formed to embrace the bearings 28 and which when removed fromthe main body of the casing permit assembling and removing the worm gear26.

From the foregoing description it may be'seen that one end of the shaft17 depends for its support upon the universal joint 16, and the otherend depends for its support upon the element 19 which is capable ofoscillating about two distinct axes which are at rightangles to eachother. ()ne of said axes is the axis of shaft 22, and the other is thatof the axle 15. llhe casing 27 is capable of rotative movement about theaxle 15 and is likewise capable of rotative movement about the shaft 22,as for example when one end of the axle 15 is moved forward or backwardwith relation to the other in the yoke 19, the shaft and casing 27 arefree to tip when the axle 15 isinclined, as when one of the wheels 12 ishigher than the other. None of. the movements to which the mechanismwould ordinarily be subjected by inequalities in theroad can cause thecasing 27 to bind either on the axle 15 or on the shaft 22. The yoke 19may have lateral angular movement about the shaft" 22 in consequence ofside sway of the frame 10 as Well as angular movement about the axle 15in consequence of up and down movementiofthe frame 10.v f

Although I have not shown any means'for adjusting the friction wheel 21to vary its.

speed of rotation, it will be understood that the :drive mechanism willbe provided With means forthis purpose. As it is not of specialimportance. in connection with the mounting of the dr ve mechanism, andas 1t would tend to obscure the drawings lfincluded,al have-omittedit.ltmayzbe read-r ily understood, however, that bvadjusting the wheel: 21upand down on shaft 22 the speed'of'the wheel will be var1ed,-and thatif it beadjusted below the axis of the disk axle, transmission" gearingconnecting said shaft and axle, a movable structure supportedby saidtransmission shaft and I havingtwo journals coacting with saidtransmissionshaft and having a third journal at right. angles to theaxis of'said two journals,

a sh aftarranged in said third journal, and

transmission gearing. connecting said shafts between said two ournals.

'2. The combination with a driving. shaftanda driven shaft arranged tobe capable of relative angular axial movement, of a transmission shaft,means arrangedgto keep the axis ofsaid transmission shaft atright anglesrelative to saiddriving shaft, means arranged-to keep the axis ofsaidtransmission shaft at one angle relative to said driven shaft, coactivegears arranged on said driving sl'ia-ft and transmissionshaftrespectively, one of said gears being movable to and from coactiverelation with the other, and means arranged to transmit rotation fromsaid transmission shaft to said driven shaft.

3.,The combination with two shafts arranged to be capable of relative"angular axial movement,'of a transmission shaft, means arranged to keeptheaxis of said'transmi'ssion shaft at right angles relative to one ofsaid two shafts, means arranged to keep the axis of said transmissionshaft at one angle relative to the other one of said two shafts, meansarranged to transmit rotation from one of said-two shafts to saidtransmission shaft, and means arranged to transmit rotation from saidtransmission shaft to the other one of said two shafts, one of saidtransmitting means being adjustable to vary the speed ratio of itsdriving and driven elements.

4. Transmission. mechanism comprisinga shaft, a bearingzstructui 'ehavinga bearing embracing-said shaft, a: second shaft journaled in saidbearing structure, coactive friction members arrangedrespectively onsaid firstandsecon'd shafts totransmit rotation fromone to the other, athird shaft, means journaled on said second'and third shafts for keepingthem in one relative position', and coaetive gears arranged respectively onsaid second fillCl tllil'd-sllitfts for transmittingrotationfrom one to the other.

5. The combination with a wheel axle and airangularly movable driveshaft, of-universally= jointed transmission means arranged-to transmitrotation from said shaft to said axle, said transmission means beingcapable of angular movement in response to angular movement of said axleand shaft and being capable of'adjustment to reverse the rotation ofsaidaxle relatively to that of said shaft.

6. The combination with a wheel axle, of a gear case journaled thereon,a' transmissionrsh'aft-extending through and jonrnaled in said-gearcase, the axis of said transmission shaftbeing transverse with relationto the axis Qf said'aXIe, coactive helical gears carried by said'axleand-transmission shaft respectively] and arranged in said gear case, amovable structure supported by'said transmission shaftand having twojournals coacting. with said transmission shaft and having a thirdjournal arranged transversely with relation tothe axis of said twojournals, said gear: casebeing between said'two journals, afriction gearcarried by said transmission shaft between said two jonrnals, a'driveshaft arranged in said'third journal, and a friction gear carried bysaid rive shaft, said friction gears being an ranged to coact;

7; The combination with a vehicle having a live wheel axleand-a bodyframe movable up and down relatively to said axle, of a journalstructurejonrnaled on said axle, a transmission shaft journaled in and supportedby said journal structure at right angles to-said axle, gearing arrangedto transmit rotation from said transmission shaft to said axle,a-movable structure journaled on and supported by said transmissiondrive shaft to transmit rotation to the latshaft, a drive shaftjournaled in said movter.

able structure at right angles to said trans- In testimony whereof Ihave affixed my mission shaft, gearing arranged to transmit signature,in presence of tWo Witnesses.

rotation from said drive shaft to said trans- HERBERT H. BUFFUM.

mission shaft, power means carried by said Witnesses: body frame, and auniversal joint supported WILLIAM F. KNIGHT, by said power means andfastened to said C. W. TYLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patent- Washington, D. 0'.

